Harryproa "Blind Date"

The foundation "Zeilen met visie" who exploits the Harryproa "Blind Date", which is specially build to sail people with (visual) disabilities on a non-profit basis, has some new 3D animations and videos on the building, working and sailing of this proa.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6fSiDebytY&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4izlZmYz8&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A4izlZmYz8&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w-9IY63-gg&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of0M21q9AaE&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oivIDnHqwpA&feature=channel&list=UL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_VpMZdwNIk&feature=channel&list=UL

 

Thanks for that, HASYB. Very cool, and great that the boat is fulfilling it's intended purpose. A quote from one of the skippers:
"Once you sail a good multihull, you never want to go back to a monohull. Once you sail a good proa, you find other multihulls somewhat limited."

In February next year, we start building a schooner rigged version of Blind Date http://harryproa.com/index.php/design/15/new-visionarry built the same way as the boat in the video at http://harryproa.com/index.php/design/2012-10-11-10-54-13/concept-design. This is a 15m/50' weekender professionally built from flat panels. Cost, ex rig is less than $40,000.

Rob

 

the second link is broken rob.

how much extra for the rig?

having the tender double as an outboard sled is a brilliant idea. you should redo the movie and second image so people don't miss it.

how big would the tender's motor have to be help right the mother ship after a capsize?

ben

 

Thanks. Bit peculiar. I will talk to the web guy.
To view the video, go to www.harryproa.com, then Designs/Racing/Solitarry and it is at the bottom of the page.

Not sure yet. As it is telescoping and we have not built one at this size, there may be some costs or savings we have not included in the numbers. The estimate is $30,000 if we built moulds for both parts. Be a few grand less if we use the bottom piece as a mould for the top one. Plus the sail. I'm still looking for a sailmaker with the right mix of imagination, willingness to experiment and suitable pricing.

A non telescoping tube mast would cost about $10,000.

A big tender with plenty of power makes exploration, rough anchorages, big payloads, water skiing etc possible. Also makes a much better liferaft, particularly if it has a rig and/or a solar panel and an electric outboard. I will change the drawing when I get the build plans complete.

Too many variables, but it would not be huge. In the very unlikely event of the schooner rigged cruiser capsizing (bendy masts, no extras, more than half the weight in the ww hull), the masts keep the boat floating at 90 degrees, with the mast heads upwind. Deploy a sea anchor from the leeward hull (the one in the water) and attach a tow line to the hull out of the water and tow downwind and it would not take much grunt to get it up as the waves and wind are both helping. May need to give some thought to launching the tender when the mothership was capsized.

The Solitarry in the video above is race oriented so much more likely to capsize (this will be one of the things we do deliberately as part of the sea trials). If the semi automatic righting (the mast can be canted to leeward and the big, buoyant boom immersed) doesn't work, we will add the tender to the mix.

rob

 

Its a very appealing the design of the schooner rig.

Are you using the same materials for your panel building as Derek Kelsall as well ( Polyester and Airex) or another combination ?

 

Glad you like it.

It is a bit more work to sail than the ballestron rig, but opens up the lee hull, allows more sail area (90 sq m vs 72 sq m on the boat in the video at http://harryproa.com/index.php/boats/2012-10-11-10-18-30/2012-08-28-18-16-37?start=1 and is much easier to balance the boat for self steering.

The build method is very strongly influenced by Derek and KSS. Because proa hulls don't need rocker, 90% of the hull shapes can be achieved without cutting and shutting, which makes for a much quicker, lighter and cheaper build than a cat or tri hull.

Materials for the 15m schooner will be epoxy and Herex foam, should save 10-20% of the weight of the strip planked boat in the above video. Solitarry (the boat in the build video) is Divynicell and vinylester. Secondary bonding and gluing are epoxy in both cases.

Cost and smell were the factors behind each choice, although when the laminate has half the amount of resin in it compared to a hand laid boat, the cost difference is not so excessive.

rob

 

Oh yes, I know about the Vynilester smell, I could never build with it - its abominable.

Are you going to run workshops like Derek ? Until I felt confident with a vacuum, I couldn't commit to that sort of build technique.

 

I'm not planning any workshops, but an english client who wants some experience before he builds his is coming over to work on the boat for a while. I am sure the owner would not mind other helpers on the same basis. ie no pay, not too much talk until smoko.

Vacuuming and infusion are necessary skills, but very easy once you have them. Start small, on a sheet of glass so you can observe what is happening and before you know it you will an expert be selling instructional cd's and wondering what all the fuss was about.

rob